An Abrupt Adventure: Otsana
by Upsetti-Spaghetti
Summary: The Old Forest was forbidden to outsiders, for their own safety the Thain had ordered. The things that dwell within are dangerous, unpredictable. Those who are brave (or idiotic) enough to venture inside either leave heavily wounded and traumatized. Or they do not leave at all. One such creature entered and became one with the wild. This is the story of Otsana - the She-Wolf.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One – A Shot in the Dark ( _A Past; Lost in Space_ )

-xXx-

: _Road to The Shire_ :

 _08:45 pm_

Many people from Bree-Land had said not to travel past the seventh hour during the Autumn and Winter months. Those nights were strictly forbidden by the Thain of each village and town, a curfew being set in motion to keep the ones who could not defend themselves safe. The Shire, most diligently, had gone so far as to have guards with dogs patrolling the outskirts occasionally. Normally, nothing besides the local wild life would dare journey through The Old Forest simply to try and rob The Shire folk of their trinkets and carvings. But then again, no one would think to steal anything from the gentle Hobbits that live in the rolling hills. They had nothing of extreme value, save their gardens and well tended holes. None of them cared of gold or jewels, unless it was the color of their clothing. All of them, including their distant cousins of Fallohides and Stoors, were simple people who loved the earth in all its glory and a home cooked meal.

That wasn't to say the more dangerous predators prowled along the borders of the thick woods.

It was darkening quickly, the sky overhead a faint pink color that was blending into the navy blue of the night. The wind was beginning to pick up as well, looming trees swaying against the breeze, their leaves fluttering to the ground silently. It was cold; the air chilling swiftly as the sun set and the moon rose in its place. It cast a pale light over the land, shadows erupting in its wake and crawling along the forest trees to create somewhat frightening images. Nothing moved as the white moon slowly made its way across the midnight blue sky dotted with twinkling stars. Everything was quiet and calm.

The was, until a small horse drawn cart noisily navigated itself down the dirt pathway that lead to The Shire. Despite what was told to them, the small Hobbit couple driving the cart had decided to attempt traversing the shaded road. It was a foolhardy thing to do and they could have easily waited until the sun had made its ascent the next morning but both were rather excited to show off the small bundle held in the arms of the arms of the female Hobbit.

BrambleRose Knotwise nee Peatfingers was in a celebratory mood and it could not wait until the next morning. Her husband, Togo Knotwise, had warned her against the dangers that lurked around The Shire's forests but she wasn't about to let a gloomy thrush of trees stand between her and their daughter's celebration party. There was sure to be a great uproar of happiness and congratulations throughout her distant family, as well as Togo's. Her cousin would be so pleased to know that lonely, unmarried BrambleRose had taken a husband not too long ago and already had given birth to a beautiful little girl. She peered down at the wild curls on her daughter's head, an affectionate smile gracing her lips.

During the pregnancy, nothing had been amiss and the labor had gone smoothly. The only thing to have given her any anxiety was the very pale tone of her baby's skin and the shocking, vibrant red hair that curled atop the head. On both sides of their families, dark and light hair were common but nothing so beautiful as the color of the reddest rose had ever been gifted to either of their family lines. BrambleRose had dark blond hair that rested on her shoulders in light, bouncy curls. Togo had a dark chestnut brown that seemed black in certain lights, straighter than hers but no less thick. It was quite a surprise when her daughter had come into the world with such hair, though she and her husband didn't love her any less for it. In fact, such hair color was a commodity among Hobbits, whether they be Fallohides, Stoors or Harfoots. And in light of her unique coloring, BrambleRose had taken a liking to a name that fit her well; TigerLily Iris Knotwise. While the name Rosie-Posie had seemed like a wonderful idea, her daughter's fighting spirit and pale pigment changed her mind.

TigerLily suited her very well indeed.

BrambleRose was snapped out of her reverie when a loud howl ripped through the night air. Togo brought the pony to a sudden halt, eyes staring around in the shadows. His posture was stiff and a hand had left the reigns to hold it protectively in front his wife. He knew they shouldn't have ventured out into the night, knowing what kinds of animals lay in wait for them. But her excitement at finally being able to show off their beautiful little fauntling around their relatives of The Shire had been adorable and he couldn't say no to his wonderful wife. He was definitely regretting their situation at that moment, of course.

For a few moments of uneasy silence, there was no other sound to follow the frightening howl but as soon as Togo hesitantly prodded the pony into trotting forward, more wolf cries split through the quiet. His instincts, soft as they were, reacted immediately and he snapped the reigns, causing the pony to gallop. BrambleRose held onto TigerLily tightly, her other hand grasping the seat firmly so she wouldn't fall off during the escape. Her hair stood up on her pimpled skin as the call of several wolves echoed behind her and she reached over to grab Togo's arm.

"Togo!" she whispered urgently, glancing back behind the bumping cart fearfully. Togo was grim faced and snapped the reigns harder, ordering the pony to gallop faster without words.

Suddenly, a shadow moved left of the cart and BrambleRose gave a small whimper as she recognized it as a wolf. They were following them. Togo had to get them away; she couldn't let those animals get her baby. She tightened her grip on a still sleeping TigerLily and slid closer to her husband as he did his best to drive away from the prowling wolves. Fear rising quickly inside her, BrambleRose nearly meshed with Togo's side as more predators began running alongside the right of the cart. They snapped their jaws tauntingly at her feet, making her swallow a squeal and raise her legs underneath herself. Howls and barks, mocking and jeering in their own language called out to her and she couldn't stop the tears that leaked out of her clenched lids.

Then, without warning, a wolf nearly the same size as the pony jumped at the startled equine and caused it to topple into its side. The cart was upended onto the ground and BrambleRose screamed as she landed in the soft grass, curving her body around TigerLily to protect her from the impact. It woke her up, unfortunately but her cries would need to be dealt with later – if there was a later, that was. Togo immediately scrambled to his feet and stood in front of his wife, whipping out a rather wicked looking dagger from his trousers. As a Fallohides Hobbit, it was proper to carry at least one weapon on their person at all times, be it dagger or ax. It would not let them free without scrapes and bruises but they might just live to tell the tale.

Wolves of every size formed a circle around them, snouts curled as they growled lowly, bodies tensed for an attack. The wolf that jumped the pony prowled through the ring, head held high and BrambleRose instantly knew it was the Alpha of the pack. If the poise and regal air around the animal didn't tip her off, it was how every other wolves moved back to give it room.

Togo wrapped a tense arm around his wife's waist, heart pounding as he stared off with the Alpha. BrambleRose was shaking, trembles that were easily seen in the gloom of the night and he didn't blame her one bit. Togo clenched his jaw and he glanced at his crying daughter, frightened wife and he knew that he needed to try his best in fighting for their lives. When it had just been himself traveling alone in the wide open spaces of Middle-Earth, there hadn't been anyone else to worry about. Ever since he married and recently had a child, the instincts he'd seen his cousins, uncles, and friends show was beginning to make sense. Before he wed, he'd never known what it was like to have another person to protect. He hadn't known the feeling of not being alone. And his little fauntling, his beautiful TigerLily; she was only ten summers. She hadn't yet experienced life. His spine straightened and he clenched his hand around the dagger, glaring hard at the wolves surrounding them, even as he could feel his heart racing in fear. Togo wasn't embarrassed to admit he was frightened – only an idiot wouldn't be terrified of the creatures before him.

But he also wasn't scared of defending his family till his very last breath was gone.

Everything went quiet; the wind died down, the birds quit chirping, the trees were still. None of the wolves were growling, the air was thick with tension and stagnant with fear. BrambleRose and Togo, as well as a quieted TigerLily, shook as they tried to keep their eyes on every wolf. Then, the Alpha threw back its head and howled loudly, baying to the moon. It was overhead, slanting pale light across them as they faced off with the hungry animals. Chills ran up Togo's spine and for whatever reason, he knew the attack would happen any moment. The other wolves joined in, a chorus of jeers that resonated inside his bones.

"Rose, when I say so; run." Togo said to his wife hoarsely, voice hushed in the silence even as it grated gruffly with his sadness. BrambleRose's eyes snapped to him and her eyes filled with tears, mouth falling open in shock.

"Togo... no..." she whimpered, hand grasping his sleeve with a shaking hand. He didn't take his eyes off the surrounding wolves for a moment, eyes trained on them with an intense glare. But he could feel his heart breaking at his love's voice.

"Rose, you know you _have_ to. Lily... s-she needs you to keep her safe– " Togo bit off his sentence, voice choking as tears rushed to his eyes, "She needs to have _one_ parent around."

BrambleRose didn't have time to respond, only giving an aborted cry at his words before everything fell apart.

Togo didn't know how he caught the movement, minuet as it was but he pushed at BrambleRose's shoulder roughly to shove her out of the way when a wolf from her left jumped.

" _ **RUN!**_ " Togo's tone had risen, his voice resounding in the forest and BrambleRose flinched at the angry plea she heard. She didn't want to leave him, she couldn't let him die but he wasn't giving her a choice in the matter.

She shouted wordlessly in a desperate attempt to keep herself from leaving him but the pack took that as incentive to charge them. Every single on of them dove at the same time and she only managed to escape by a mere foot. Togo, however, was caught in the fray and it took everything inside of her to keep fleeing. BrambleRose felt her heart shatter as the sounds of howls and snarls echoed from behind her, tears of desperation running hot down her cheeks. TigerLily was clutched tightly to her chest and began wailing loudly at the fast pace BrambleRose ran. She didn't have time to quiet her fauntling; she had to get away. Togo's loud yells of battle, low but resounding, grew faint as she lengthened the distance between them. Her feet were growing tired, legs turning numb from the cold seeping into her bones but she couldn't stop. Her husband may be dead but her daughter wasn't and while BrambleRose hadn't wanted to listen to his plea, she couldn't leave her little girl without both parents.

Howls erupted suddenly and BrambleRose paled, skin turning a creamy ivory at the noise. Heart beating wildly and skin chilled ice cold through her simple shawl, BrambleRose sprinted as fast as she could into a clutch of trees. While the idea of climbing with a bundle in her arms wasn't an ideal one, it might be the only chance of saving her child and herself. But as she raced through the woods, darting past oaks and sequoias, she heard the wolves gaining on her. Sobs tore from her throat, eyes burning as tears trailed down her cheeks as she ran but she didn't stop. Not when she heard her husband's scream of pain, not when his gurgled cry was silenced abruptly by what she tearfully imagined was lupine jaws full of sharp fangs. BrambleRose couldn't stop herself no matter how badly she wanted to turn back to see if her Togo was truly dead or not. TigerLily needed to be safe and she was the only one to do it. Determination welled inside her – bitter and angry – and she gritted her teeth as she tried to find a suitable tree that would hold her weight without snapping a branch.

Panting heavily, she saw a tall tree that held many sturdy seeming branches directly ahead of her. She almost smiled in relief but instead, she cried out in pain as sharpened teeth grabbed hold of her thin ankle and brought her to an abrupt halt. Twisting in the air as she made friends with the dirt beneath her, arms around TigerLilu tightly, she used her other leg to kick the muzzle of the wolf – hard. It yelped, immediately letting go and backing off, giving her enough time to scramble to her aching feet. The wound around her ankle was beginning to burn but she thought nothing of it and hurtled around felled logs to escape the animals chasing her.

 _'It's useless,'_ BrambleRose thought as she gasped for air, jumping over a large tree in her path, ' _they're too close and there are too many of them_.'

Intense sadness filled her and she choked down a sob, hating what she had to do but knowing it was the only thing to keep her fauntling safe. BrambleRose inhaled deeply and pushed her tired body to run faster. She managed to make it ten to fifteen paces farther than the wolves and nearly giggled with hysterical glee. There was nothing happy about what was happening and it would only become worse. The Stoor Hobbit found a tree with a hallow in the base, deep into the wood where they couldn't reach anything placed inside. Tears leaked out of her drying eyes and she hiccuped as she stopped, almost falling over with how abrupt her halt was. Crouching quickly, she stared at her strangely quiet child and caressed a chubby cheek softly, wishing to Yavanna that she didn't have to do it.

"I love you, TigerLily. Please don't hate your father and I..." BrambleRose sobbed quietly, pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead, "We love you so much." She placed TigerLily inside the hole of the wood, covering her up with fallen leaves and moss. Sparing another sad glance at her fauntling, she picked up her skirts and ran.

BrambleRose made as much noise as possible, picking up a stray stick and hitting the trees with it to generate sound to distract the wolves from finding TigerLily. It might not work and she might already be dead but she had to try. She'd never forgive herself if she didn't. Unfortunately for her, her ankle decided to give out at the worst possible moment and she fell to the ground with a grunt. Almost instantaneously, multiple wolves crowded in on her.

 _'Please, Yavanna; keep my baby safe. I'm coming, Togo. I'll see you soon,'_ was BrambleRose's last thought before a set of terrifying jaws descended on her. She screamed as agonizing pain suffused her body, burning in her throat. Her vision clouded, only white fur stained with red blood filled her sight and then...

-xXx-

Hidden in the tree, TigerLily stared at the inside of the darkened space. While only ten summers old, she had some sense of what had happened around her. That nice lady with pretty hair, her momma she thought, had put her inside of a dark place and she didn't like it at all. Tears welled up and spilled over her plump cheeks as she began to cry in earnest. The sound echoed from inside her spot and it startled her, causing her cries to turn into wailing. She was scared; she wanted her momma.

Then, a sound from outside her hiding place made her stop for a moment but she just sobbed harder to gain the passing person's attention. TigerLily wanted to go home and see that light haired lady, and dark haired man again. They were nice and had the best hugs. And she was hungry. The sound grew nearer and she paused her sobbing when something strange appeared in her vision. It didn't look like her momma and papa. She didn't know what to do as it came closer, nuzzling something wet into her face. It tickled and TigerLily giggled despite her sadness, grasping at the hair on the things face. It made a sound, deep and rumbling, making TigerLily smile widely. Papa made the same noise when he laughed. The thing opened its mouth and grabbed the cloth swaddling her, pulling on it until she was out of the dark place. She blinked at the scenery around her and stared at the big white spot in the sky. It was pretty; shining up against a dark blue canvas.

Suddenly, more things like the one nuzzling her appeared above her and she blinked again. They looked like the one holding her cloth but different at the same time. Each one had varying shades of the same color but not. Some of them also had their mouths open and it didn't look like they were happy. TigerLily whimpered and tried to cuddle closer to the thing that held her nicely. It made that same noise again, only deeper and sounding more unhappy, making the other things back away with their heads down. TigerLily blinked away some tears and looked up at the white haired thing. It stared down at her, yellow colored eyes shining in the light of the spot in the sky and TigerLily was entranced at the pretty color. It almost looked like momma's hair but darker. She giggled again and rubbed her own face against the soft hair on the thing's face. A low sound came from it and it vibrated through TigerLily's body, tickling her.

Then, it closed its mouth on the cloth and picked her up. She closed her chubby fingers around some white hair and held on as she was lifted into the air. It began to walk and the movement was calming, despite how cold it was. She could feel herself falling asleep quickly and she turned her face into the soft hair again, letting it keep her warm.

Images of her momma and papa flashed before her eyes as she dreamed. Another lady – tall, wearing a pretty green and brown dress – stood in front of her and smiled softly, eyes warm. She crouched over TigerLily and ran a gentle hand down her cheek, skin like smoothest silk. The chill that was biting at her immediately left, replaced with a heat that sank into her bones.

" _Be at peace, my child."_ The pretty lady said, voice like the wind; light and airy, _"There will be troubles in your life, and there will be hardships. The gifts I bestow upon you, on the morn of your birth, will help you on your adventures in life. Indeed; powerful and strong. Many shall fear you but be not afraid, for you will find your place among those who care for you. You shall be loved and looked after._ "

The beautiful woman smiled sadly, a mar on her otherwise perfect face and it seemed as though the sun had left the sky. But the happy countenance returned swiftly and the world brightened once more.

" _Now sleep and gain your strength, my little she-wolf; for you shall need it."_

Then she disappeared in a swirl of earthy colors and pictures of laughter, life and love stayed in TigerLily's head throughout the night.

-xXx-

End Chapter One


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two – Where Do I Start? ( _The Past and The Chase_ )

: _The Old Forest – March 14_ _th_ _Thirty-three years later_ :

04:55 am

* * *

It was quiet.

The trees were still, only a light breeze whispering through the trees. Random leaves tumbled to the forest floor with nary a sound. The sun was just beginning to rise over the mountain to cast shadowed light over the land. Sunlight dotted the dewy grass through the leaves, sparkling on the small drops. There was a chill in the air, carrying a hint of humidity that left its marks on the bark of the trees. Birds were still sleeping in their nests and rabbits hiding in their burrows but the larger herbivores were beginning to show. Around the time the sun hits the quaint but prosperous village of The Shire, the deer and elk tentatively make their way into the clearings for fresh grass.

It was the perfect time for a hunt.

A female white tailed deer tip toed into the conspicuously empty clearing and gave a sharp look around before dipping her head to nibble the bright green flora. After a moment, a few other does and bucks made their after her, joining in on the feast. One buck, his antlers magnificent atop his head, kept watch as the others ate. He stared around with more intensity than a deer should have had. But as the keeper of his group, he was the one to stand guard until the rest had eaten their fill. The buck patrolled the area, ears flicking as he listened for any indication they weren't safe. A bush on the far side of the clearing rustled suddenly and he froze in place, eyes staring at the offending flora and ear pointed up in attention. But nothing happened after a seconds and he went back to walking around borders of his group.

All was calm for the moment.

Unbeknownst to the grazing deer, a predator was lurking in the shadows. White fur, dirtied brown by the mud and grime on the ground, shifted behind the large bush. Lithe muscles underneath the leaves and fur moved elegantly as the creature quietly prowled to a different location along the forest line. One bright verdant eye, the other a pale silver, gazed hungrily at the deer feasting on the dew drop grass. Its eyes darted over each deer, calculating which one would taste the best and which one should be killed. A machalite and silver iris rested on a rather plump doe grazing on the west side of the clearing, fairly close to the border of the woods. It would be easy. Merely a step too far and the fat deer would be gone.

White fur seemed to glide as the creature stepped lightly – making no sound at all – crouching low behind a taller shrubbery. It looked through a blank space between the leaves, watching as the doe it set its sights on obliviously walked closer. Blunt teeth tore the crisp grass with a soft _'snap'_ and eagerly gobbled down more, nearing the line that lead into the darkened forest to eat the untouched green blades. Anticipation was wrought inside the creature but it held its breath until the doe was within range. Then, without warning, an ax flew out of the bush, a mere blur of movement and it landed directly in the middle of the does' forehead. The female deer had only a moment to jerk in shock before she fell to her knees and down to the ground; dead. The sound was muffled by the moss and dead leaves covering the dirt floor, fresh blood staining the green foliage heavily. The stag standing guard heard nothing and was turned in the other direction, eying the forest border on the west.

A pale but dirty hand reached out from the bush, grabbing the fallen doe by the neck and pulled the carcass out of sight. Deep green eyes checked on the still grazing group of deer once more before a wide smile – revealing sharpened canines – appeared on an even dirtier face. Hair, color of the reddest rose, slipped from underneath the white wolf pelt that laid on top of her head and curled every way carelessly. It framed the beautiful two tones eyes that stared at the dead deer with satisfaction and she immediately reached behind her to pull out a long line of rope. She began to bind the does' ankles together for easy transportation and once finished, stood up. She didn't need to disguise herself any longer and the sound generated from the move was loud enough to startle the rest of the group into scattering, hopping away in the opposite direction from fear. The pelt covered girl snickered, the noise echoing in the silence and she walked out into the clearing.

At first glance, she would seem like a small human child of Man, wearing a taxidermy wolf pelt of white for the fun of it. But once in the warming sunlight, brighter as the glowing yellow orb made its was across the sky slowly, it was easy to see she was not a child. Besides the furs she wore – hooked over her head and tied around her neck loosely by the legs – she wore a dark green shirt that she had nicked from a trading cart she had seen passing by Bree-Land and it showed off a generous chest that in no way belonged to a child. In addition to the shirt, she had on a pair of dark brown trousers that ended mid-calf. There wasn't a need for socks or shoes though, seeing as her feet were larger than normal and had leathery soles on the bottom to ease the pain of having a rock shoved into the normally sensitive skin. Little hairs, bright golden red in color but sparse, covered the top of her feet and waved slightly as the wind began to pick up.

Underneath the white pelt, somewhat hidden by the lengthy fur, was a fairly large pack made of tanned hide. It held many essentials needed to surviving in the forest of old; rope and twine to prepare traps or wrap up large prey, axes of varying sizes strapped down tightly on the sides of the bag, her handmade bow with a quiver full of arrows also made by her, and sleeping furs. As she had no fur of her own, it was either learn how to build a fire or freeze to death. And when hunting without her Pack for a few days; freezing was something that happened quite often. Needless to say, her skills in fire making were quickly produced to stave off the chill.

TigerLily, though it was not the name called by her Pack members, hauled the doe over her shoulder and began the trek back to her Den. The clothes she wore, simple and warm as they were, displayed the heavily muscled arms and legs she had. After years of living within the forest, fighting for her right to survive in the Pack and for her own status among those that didn't want her around, her body had changed into one that could carry out any task she wished. The scars on her face and body were evidence of her struggles over the last thirty-three years but she'd won. It had been a long time coming but in the end; she'd won. And she owed all her gratitude to a certain tradition created by her Den Mother's ancestors.

 _The Maturing Months_ – where a young cub coming into his or her own would go through a series of tasks for a specific length of time. The set ceremony was harsh and often killed off a larger amount of pups than the number of those that came back; the cubs were to survive in the wilds by themselves for four months and come back to the Den, fully matured. Those who didn't return were mourned for and those that came back too soon – well, they were soon cast out for being cowards. TigerLily had lasted the four months with little difficulty and returned with multiple pelts of every animal, stolen fangs, skulls, and scars in tow. Her Den Mother had been proud beyond measure and she was soon called Otsâna, which meant ' _she-wolf_ ' in their language. TigerLily was accepted into the pack from that moment on and even those who opposed her being taken in by the Den Mother hadn't argued since. Not that any protesting lasted very long in the presence of the Den Mother. She didn't make a point of listening to such nonsense unless there was a reason for the whining.

TigerLily, or otherwise known as Otsâna, made sure to walk briskly in the direction of her home. The Den Mother had asked to see her the moment she was finished hunting and no one argued when given an order. Since her mate had died all those years ago, Den Mother had taken his place as Alpha and she had proven herself to be a more competent, caring Alpha than he had been. None of the other Pack members, aside from the more opinionated ones of course, spoke about her former mate in such a way but the general consensus around the Den was just that. The clutch of trees grew denser, thicker and darker as she walked on. The air seemed to become stagnant and stale as the light faded, then was renewed once more as a small clearing appeared just ahead. It was half the size of the one the deer had been grazing in and was circular in shape. TigerLily stopped at the borderline and watched as the young pups, perhaps two to four months old, played in the clearing with each other.

Smiling, she stepped out of the shadows and instantly, the puppies attentions snapped towards her. They immediately charged her in the most adorable attack she'd ever seen and was almost bowled over by them. Laughing, voice raspy from disuse, TigerLily crouched down and grinned as the barks, and growls from the pups translated into a rough language only learned through years of practice.

" _Otsâna! Otsâna!"_ They all crowed, tone high pitched like small children of The Shire.

One pup, the same color as her pelt, was on her hind legs with forelegs on TigerLily's knees, _"Did you bring us anything?"_

" _Yeah! You were gone for a long time."_ Another pup, a dark brown and gray, whined with her ears flattened back.

TigerLily laughed again, dropping the doe from my shoulder to the ground, _" Four sunrises is hardly a long time. But indeed I did, little ones. I have brought breakfast for everyone."_ She scratched the white pups' ears and ran a hand down the brown pups' back.

" _Orla! Riegna! Where have you two little trouble makers gone off to?"_ Verina, mother of the young pups crowding her, walked into the clearing with her ears twitching in irritation. She saw them with me and gave a small growl that was really a sigh of relief, _"Oh thank the spirits. Otsâna, I'm so glad to see you back safely. We were worried for you but I supposed it was an unfounded concern."_

TigerLily smiled in amusement, waving a hand to allow her forward. Verina did so and licked her face in greeting, an action done only to high ranking Pack members. TigerLily, after having survived _The Maturing Months_ with scars beyond compare and muscles to match, was given the rank that was a step down to her Den Mother's. Her words held quite a bit of sway over the lower ranking Pack members but she never used her position against them. Even when the ones who had bullied and abused her for so long came for help. She was a caring commander, despite past struggles and differences.

" _It's lovely to see you as well, Verina. It feels good to be home."_ TigerLily replied warmly, always pleasantly surprised when she was greeted in such a way, and she caressed Verina's muzzle, _"Come, I have brought a feast and I am very sure everyone is as hungry as I am."_

She stood up, hauling the doe back onto her shoulder and made her way into the Den. It was quite spacious and was big enough for the entire Pack to fit inside comfortably. As she made her way down, she saw many of the other pups wrestling on the dirt floor while their parents watched on fondly. Everyone's heads turned towards the entrance as TigerLily and all the pups of the new season charged her with squeals of happiness. She was ready for it and dropped the carcass to the ground before a dozen young wolf cubs attacked. With chuckles echoing around the dome, she sat down and accepted the snuggles from them. Orla and Riegna joined in again, simply because they could.

TigerLily sat there for a good minute before she remembered that the Den Mother wanted to speak with her. Untangling herself from the puppy pile, she untied the rope from the dead doe and laid it out. TigerLily brought out a knife from her pack and began to section off meat for herself and Den Mother while the rest ate the remains. She didn't require much to eat and she needed to cook it first; digesting raw meat was never pleasant, despite the years of having to until she could make a fire from rocks and sticks. The Den Mother was not a gluttonous Alpha and she was capable of hunting for herself but her daughter often shared her meat with the older wolf. TigerLily was given the task of hunting for the Pack and everyone praised her for such large prey. Her game was by far the biggest any of them had seen in years and far more prosperous.

Once she was done, she pushed the deer until it was in the middle of the Den, _"Eat up, my friends. It will go rotten soon."_ She walked back out of the Den and smiled as she heard the sounds of happy feasting by her Pack. The young ones were so small but they still needed enough food until another hunt could be done.

TigerLily stepped out of the entrance and immediately sought out her Den Mother, finding her atop the rocks that kept everyone safe. She was regal; her pristine white fur shone like a quartz crystal in the midday sunlight, the soft tufts moving gently in the wind. Her golden colored eyes stared off into the distance, as if she were lost in her thoughts but her ears were perked up in attentiveness. Taking a moment to admire the Alpha she had called mother for so many years, despite the fact they were of different species, TigerLily approached the majestic wolf and bowed in respect.

" _I have come as you asked of me, Mother."_ she greeted softly, not wishing to startle her mother out of her memories.

Custelle, meaning ' _majestic_ ' an accurate name for one such as she, turned to look at her adopted human daughter, _"Come, Otsâna; join me."_ Custelle's tail moved, creating a space for TigerLily to rest next to her.

TigerLily jumped onto the towering rocks deftly, hands holding the meat from the doe. She placed the slab of deer flesh in front of Custelle and gently sat down next to her, leaning over to kiss her muzzle in proper greeting. She wasn't a wolf and the thought of licking anything but her own lips was a bit disgusting but her mother obviously didn't mind and a gentle laugh left Custelle.

" _Such a strange creature, my little she-wolf."_ Her mother said fondly, though TigerLily could sense some sadness in her tone and she frowned in concern. Whenever the Den Mother was sad, there was much to be wary of. Anything that could make the strongest member of the Pack emotional, whether it be worry or anger, was something to be suspicious about.

" _What ails you, Mother?"_ TigerLily asked, wondering if it somehow had to do with her. For the last few weeks, she'd noticed the stares her mother had given her. It made her skin itch uncomfortably to see such sorrow in those golden hues. The Den Mother should never be sad; it wasn't an emotion that fit the description of the Alpha of The Old Forest Pack.

Custelle sighed, knowing the moment she'd tried to keep at bay had come, _"Otsâna, you know I care for you deeply, yes?"_ Her daughter nodded slowly, a confused frown making its way onto her scarred features.

" _Yes, of course Mother. I care for you as well, if not more so."_ TigerLily responded, tilting her head. Her hair, glorious in the sunlight, spilled over her face like fresh blood and it framed her somewhat manly jaw well.

" _Then you must know that the words I voice will hurt me more than I can ever say."_ Custelle's tone and chosen words instantly set TigerLily on edge but was willing to hear her mother out.

The white wolf stood up, leaving the piece of meat untouched as she wandered over to the stare off into the distance; where The Shire was located, _"When I first found you, hidden in a hallowed out tree and covered in moss, I had no clue what to think of you. You were such a small thing; a mere babe in terms of age. My mate, Arsenio, had wanted to kill you. He didn't think you'd grow up to belong in our Pack, that you would one day try to kill us for our pelts like many humans have attempted but I knew you were different. And you showed such courage and bravery in the face of hardship, of struggle, that he had no other choice but to accept you."_

Custelle turned back to face a shocked TigerLily, eyes damp from tears that would never spill, _"You have grown so much in these thirty-three years and I am proud to know that I have raised such a brave, and wonderful she-wolf."_ Her mother walked back and nuzzled TigerLily's cheek, a low groan leaving her throat like it was wrenched from her.

TigerLily felt tears rushing to her eyes, pricking at them like pins.

" _Mother, please. You are scaring me..."_ TigerLily trailed off at the emotion swirling inside the golden eyes she had come to love so much.

" _My child, you are not like us."_ Before she could protest angrily against that, Custelle continued on, _"You are my daughter in everything but blood Otsâna, you know this. But there comes a time when we leave for the next adventure. And yours is about to begin. For years I have watched out for you, hoping you would find something in this world that you loved more than anything. I know you are restless and that you are impatient. There is something out there that you need and I am unable to provide it for you."_

Her daughter was silent, eyes unblinking as they stared at Custelle. The Den Mother sighed, a growl in her chest, and laid down at TigerLily's feet. It shocked her adopted daughter enough that she gasped in surprise but still didn't speak.

" _TigerLily, please listen to me when I say that I love you more than I thought possible. To me, you are not just another human or Pack member – you are my **daughter**. Adopted you may be but one of my kin nonetheless. But you are also a Hobbit; one of The Shire folk and you belong in their world as well as mine. I foresee a great future ahead of you, one filled with adventure and love."_ Custelle explained calmly, beseeching that her daughter – her lovely little she-wolf – believe her words.

Years ago, when TigerLily had been just two and a half summers of age, Custelle had been visited by one of the Valar themselves. While she knew only the legends and myths surrounding the mystical creatures, she inherently could tell when one by the name of Yavanna was of god like nature. Yavanna – the Giver of Fruits – spoke in her dreams of TigerLily. Her little she-wolf would become part of a dangerous and time changing quest, then would soon be the center of its being. Blurred images of her daughter laughing, loving and being happy with a very tall human like creature played over, and over in her mind for months. Since the moment Custelle had laid on eyes on the Hobbit child, she'd known there was something different about her; something inside the little Hobbit destined for greatness. And she was determined to give her daughter the life she deserved; despite it breaking her heart into a million pieces.

" _My dear little hún vargi (she-wolf), you are destined for greater things and it shall be done; I make this promise to you."_ Custelle said, voice brooking no argument and the tears welling in TigerLily's eyes spilled over her cheeks. Her mother whined at the pain she inadvertently caused her beloved daughter, nudged her to lie down. She did and was soon surrounded by the white fur she'd come to know as home. She was reminded by the night Custell had taken her as one of her own; the night her own parents fell to the Den Mother as prey.

Yes, Custelle had told her of that terrible night. It hadn't been easy on the elderly wolf, whom didn't wish TigerLily to hate her but the young she-wolf didn't. There was sadness of having her birth parents ripped from her too soon, of course but realizing that the Den Mother could have easily killed her in spite of her momma's efforts and instead chose to take her in was something that weighed heavily in her thoughts. She understood what it was like to be hungry during the winter, cold without any food to fill up her stomach and sending warmth throughout her body as it settled. While the thought of her birth parents dying in such a way was disheartening, TigerLily understood perfectly and could relate to how Custelle felt that night. Hunger, when felt for longer than necessary, could make a creature or person do irrational things.

TigerLily snuggled into the soft fur that was quickly becoming wet from her tears of confusion and sadness. She didn't say anything, only cried silently and wished she didn't have to leave. TigerLily hadn't spoken of the dreams she had to her mother, deciding to keep them to herself as she hadn't a single clue what they had meant.

All the pictures were blurry and diluted, images that had no structure but a dark shadow that vaguely resembled a human. The only discernible feature she had ever gotten from the dreams was the long, thick and luxurious hair the person had. A mane as light as starlight that was speared with streaks the color of the golden sun.

The mere passing thought of who it might be, male of female, had her heart racing like a rabbit being stared down by a terrifying predator. TigerLily was confused most definitely by the dreams and emotions but there was always a voice, light as the wind and just as soft, whispering at the back of her mind. It told her to be strong and that her struggles in life weren't all for naught. It spoke of how love and laughter would soon become everything she'd looked for in life, bringing along with it the one person who she would spend the rest of her days with.

TigerLily had to admit; finding the one she loved – her One Mate – was a thrilling and exciting prospect but she had no idea how long it would take for them to be together. Would it be days? Months? _Years_? Would it be decades before they eventually found each other, only for her to die of old age. Hobbits didn't live very long, she had heard and what happened if it was a person born of a race that never died? What if they were immortal? What if they had to watch her _wither_ and _die_ while they stayed young, and handsome or beautiful? Of course, spending any length of time with her One Mate was wonderful but TigerLily didn't know if she could handle being ripped away from him or her when their lives had only begun. Just thinking about it caused her heart to ache horribly and more tears to fall from her burning eyes.

It was silent; the wind gently moved through their sanctuary and the sun was warm as it shone down on them. Afternoon had hit and the breeze carried the delicious scents from The Shire a thousand yards to the west, reminding TigerLily that she hadn't eaten yet. She didn't want to eat; any food would just sit like a stone in her stomach. Her Mother was releasing her from the binds of what she thought were unwanted or not needed. But TigerLily had always known they were there and that they could be overstepped at any time. It was her right as the adopted daughter of Custelle; Alpha of The Old Forest Pack to leave if she so desired but she hadn't wanted to. The boundaries set by her Mother, silent but present, were a security pelt to her. It made her feel safe to know that if she wished it, she could have someone to fall back on. To know that someone – it didn't matter if she was a wolf – cared.

TigerLily sighed heavily, closing her aching eyes for a moment before rolling over to stare at her Mother. Golden eyes watched her with worry and sadness; letting TigerLily know that she wasn't the only that felt like dying of a broken heart. Losing kin, even those adopted as she, never became any better and the sting of loss jabbed at her already damaged emotions. And the fact that she was leaving her Mother, the figure that she based everything she knew in life on, was a terrifying and devastating fact. It wasn't that she was concerned about surviving by herself, that part would be pathetically easy – given all the knowledge of hunting, trapping, fire making she had – but knowing she'd be _alone_. There would be no one to talk to, no one to cuddle up to when it was cold, no one to hunt with, to eat with, to run in the forest with just for fun. Of course, visiting might be allowed occasionally but any visiting members of the Pack that had left to find their own mates were far and in between.

Deciding to dwell on her thoughts at a later time, TigerLily spoke up hesitantly, _"Do I have to leave, Mother?"_ She couldn't help asking the dreaded question and anticipated the equally alarming answer.

" _Yes, my child. You are destined for things beyond these forests and that of The Shire. I do not know where you are going but I do know that whatever your future lies; your loved ones and family will always be there to guide you."_ Custelle replied somberly, closing her eyes briefly as she imagined her little she-wolf going off on an adventure that was possibly life threatening. It frightened her to think such a thought but she knew her daughter could take care of herself.

" _But Mother; you will not be there."_ TigerLily's tone could be considered a small child pouting and Custelle laughed heartily at that, the sounds of barks to any other person's ears.

" _No, my little she-wolf but I will still be here. No matter where you go, I will always be here if you need me."_ she said gently, wishing for one moment she could cry, to release the emotions building inside her chest. Her adopted daughter's two toned gaze – one a beautiful dark green and the other a enchanting pale silver – was filled with immense sadness. It broke her heart to see the expression on her little child's face but when a prophecy was foretold, there was no way in keeping it from coming to fruition. Any and all attempts at hindering it would be fatal.

That and she couldn't bear to deny her brave little Otsâna the life she was entitled to. After all the hardships she had seen and been through; no one was more deserving than her.

" _I know it is hard but it will be better."_ Custelle tilted her head and gazing down at TigerLily, _"You do trust me, do you not?"_

" _Of course I do, Mother."_ TigerLily's instant reply was welcome and made the regal wolf smile, her eyes shining brightly.

" _Good. Now, let us eat and enjoy your last days together."_

TigerLily was unwilling to think of such a thing but more so unwilling to leave without being with her mother for the last time. Together, they ate in a solemn silence and TigerLily didn't care that her meat was still raw.

* * *

The days that remained passed too quickly.

Her mother had said a week would be the right amount of time for TigerLily to make her goodbyes with the young pups and other Pack members. During those days she carefully crafted each one of her family members trinkets so they would remember her. For her mother, she created a necklace that had every fang from the creatures she had felled herself. For the little ones, each had small anklets bearing a small feather of varying colors. They would not be in the way during a hunt or running in the forest and the pups loved them. And for the elder wolves, she made each a necklace that was adorned with feathers as well but much larger and had small fangs from wargs she had met on her travels. Those beasts had been interesting to say the least; while half the population of them were morbidly horrific and dastardly, yet the other half was somewhat kind in their own way. From the ones she had met, both evil and kind; she still had no idea what to think of them. She hoped that where ever she was headed that the land catered to the more pleasant creatures.

All of the young pups, Orla and Riegna especially, spent almost all their waking – and of course sleeping – moments with TigerLily before she had to leave. Despite not being of the same species, every single one of the Pack felt a connection towards her. And it wasn't just because she could understand them.

For that week, every hunt was done together though the young ones had to stay home in case of a larger and more dangerous predator found them. Nearly every minute, a wolf of the Pack was by her side and while TigerLily enjoyed those moments; it made leaving all the more difficult. How could she when her family so obviously needed her? And wanted her to stay? It was cruel making her abandon the only family she had ever known and over some ridiculous prophecy she had never heard herself? She didn't see the point but then she was reminded by what would happen during her adventure. She would find love and laughter with her One Mate – something she hoped would outweigh the loss of her kin very soon. The images of her pale haired love-to-be kept her from weeping like a small babe that week.

The morning she was to leave arrived happily; the sun shone over the trees with a chill on the winds and humidity in the air. Dew drops clung to every blade of grass, shining in the pale sun rising over the mountains. It was quiet as daylight broke and it knew not the sorrow it caused with its warming light.

TigerLily, down the depths of the Den, was caught in an overly warm wolf pile. Nearly every member of the Pack had claimed a piece of her to cuddle with, her mother at her head. Dreams of shadows, the figure that had such beautiful hair eluded her and caused her heart to pound erratically had plagued her the entire night. She had no idea why they were happening every night but she supposed it had something to do with her One Mate. He or she might be leagues away or in the same town a thousand yards over but whatever was going to happen during the adventure; her love would be the fruit it bore. Whenever they were meant to meet – it would happen soon. She stared at the ceiling, eyes tired yet her body was strangely awake at such an early hour. It was the morning of her departure and never in her life had she feared something more. Not when Arsenio had challenged her to a fight that would either see her dead or bring her higher in the ranks. And not when that bear had caught her unawares while she had been away on _The Maturing Months_ , resulting in the wicked scars along her face.

 _'I do not wish to leave.'_ she thought privately, feeling tears leak out her drying eyes as she relished the heat her family gave off, _'But if I must, I will. My One Mate is out there and even if I have to tread the highest mountain or deepest grove; I shall find them. They are out there somewhere.'_

Her stomach growled suddenly and it startled all the wolves on top of her as it echoed around the rock Den. The pups groaned, each one stretching and trying to snuggle back into her warmth. The older wolves stood up, whining slightly at the early hour but knowing it was TigerLily's time to leave. Custelle heaved a loud and tired sigh, a sound that seemed to resonate throughout everyone. Moans of agreement were sent back and even the pups couldn't ignore that it was time to wake up as TigerLily moved. She sat up and stretched until her bones cracked back into place. Sleeping on the floor was never comfortable, no matter how many years it had been. Then again, she had never really known what it was like to sleep on a bed like most Hobbits did. She couldn't exactly miss something she had never owned. But perhaps she'd be able to buy one soon, if she could figure out where she could get one.

TigerLily sighed and looked around at her Pack members, trying to summon up a smile for them but failed spectacularly. Tears spilled over her cheeks and she didn't bother wiping at them, as her family had already seen them. The pups whined sadly and cuddled up to her legs, laying their heads on her thighs. She pet all of them and let the tears drip off her chin down into their fur. After a few moments of silent crying, she heaved a great sigh and brushed the wet lines on my face. TigerLily gently pushed the pups off of her legs and stood up gingerly, wincing as her knees cracked. She messaged her legs, hoping they wouldn't cramp on her journey to find a new home and felt her heart crack even more at the thought.

Inwardly trembling, TigerLily began the process of gathering her items. Many of her things were collected already but her pelts and rope had been taken by the pups. They had played with them and tried to hide them in the crevices of the rock Den but TigerLily had keen senses after living with wolves all her life. Trying to hide anything from her was difficult.

Her eyesight was near to any of her kin's in efficiency and she had something was as near to night vision as possible. TigerLily's hearing had gotten keener as well and it helped quite a bit when listening for prey or other predators. Her nose was sensitive as well, which became a problem at times but was excellent when she needed it most. Her taste hadn't exactly been changed but she was able to tell if something was going rotten or not. Of course her reflexes had gotten quite the work out from the hunts she'd endured and _The Maturing Months_ soon after _._ The few times she had seen a Hobbit, they had been slight and pudgy. She'd looked at herself in comparison and agreed she would be nothing like them in appearance. TigerLily was nothing like the well tended to Hobbits of The Shire or even the village next to the quaint town. While they were small and charming folk; she was larger than usual and intimidating for a Hobbit.

Her scars definitely didn't help in trying for a calming demeanor, sadly.

Finally, her things were packed into the bag she'd made and she stood at the entrance with a despondent expression. Every Pack member was sitting in front of the mouth of the Den with equally sad eyes. If wolves could cry, every one of them would weeping. As it was, the pups couldn't stop whining and their ears were flattened against their heads like they had been pinned there by a seamstress. TigerLily managed to muster up a weak smile at them all and hugged each one tightly. When it was time to bid her mother goodbye, the floodgates opened without her meaning for them to and she wrapped her arms around Custelle's neck. It would be the last time she would hug her mother or her Pack Members. She never wanted to let go.

" _I love you, TigerLily; so much."_ Custelle whispered into her adopted daughter's wild blood red hair and nuzzled her wet nose against her cheek, _"And we shall see each other again. Do not worry."_

" _I will miss you, so much."_ TigerLily mumbled into the white fur on her mother's neck and closed her eyes as new tears dampened the beautiful fur.

" _I know you will. But your One Mate is out there somewhere. They will watch over you and love you until they can no longer. You will find them; this I promise you."_ Custelle said softly, voice displaying such conviction that TigerLily had no choice but to believe that her mother was saying. Even if she was still sad to leave.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, TigerLily stepped back and stared at her Pack. They were only twenty strong, including the five pups that sat in front of their parents. Her heart couldn't bear the thought of leaving them yet she knew it was meant to be. There was no turning back from a prophecy given by one of the Valar, despite not being present to hear it for herself. And her One Mate was calling out for her; her heart could feel it. They night not know it yet or at all but they would be together soon.

Swallowing, she hesitantly addressed her family.

" _I... I will miss you all."_ she said, her voice wobbling no matter how strong she tried to make it seem. The whines grew louder and sadder, if possible, _"But I know we will see each other again... Please take care of each other. I love you all."_ Before the tears could spill, she bowed deeply and threw her head back to howl at the sky.

Her Pack joined in, the cries not ones of a beginning hunt but of sadness and regret. They were seeing her off for the last time and it pained all of them to see her go. The situation surrounding her departure was explained but none could imagine why she couldn't find a mate within the Pack or a Rival Pack. Her status would no doubt generate many suitors, as would her scars of triumph but what they didn't understand is that she was human. No wolf would find her attractive, despite the rank and scars. It was out in the world, one she had longed to explore the moment she could walk, that she would find her One Mate. It might take a year or an eternity but she would find them. Eventually.

Until then, her mission was to find a home of her own and learn as much as she could in that time.

Their howls echoed to the skyline, startling birds from their perches and scaring many a prey that lived in the area. Tears streamed down her cheeks and with one more bow, she turned on her heel and left the clearing. She felt eyes on her as she was swallowed by the grove, darkness shrouding her form until she was gone from their sights. Small sobs tore themselves from her throat, a harsh and terrible sound, as she walked through the trees. TigerLily had no idea where she would go or where she would settle but she _did_ know the pain in her heart would never be lessened, never be eased until she found her One Mate.

…Maybe.

* * *

End Chapter Two


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three – I walked across an empty land _(I knew the pathway like the back of my hand)_

For the next two days, TigerLily wandered around with no real idea of where she was headed. At night, she slept in the trees on a sturdy branch that wouldn't break under her weight for finding a cave would be too painful for her. Her wandering feet were so she wouldn't walk back to her Pack and her Den Mother. The urge to do so was very strong and it was hard to stop herself; having never had to before. It hurt more than anything.

Soon, on the third day, her meandering around The Old Forest took her to the edges of some sort of village. It wasn't very big but seemed to have quite a lot of people passing through it to journey somewhere else. Hiding in the foliage, TigerLily watched as the varying races – mainly just Men, Hobbits and Dwarves – made their way in through the gates of the town. It was interesting seeing other people interacting with each other, especially the ones who didn't like one another. Their arguments, the sounds stilted and filled with fury, were mainly just noises to her keen ears as she hadn't exactly learned the language of Men yet. Her mother had been in the beginning stages of trying to teach her. Although, considering the fact her mother had no human vocal cords like TigerLily did, she really couldn't imagine the lessons being a success.

She watched a pair of Men argue with each other loudly on the dirt road, tilting her head as she tried her best to translate what they were yelling inside her head. For some reason, her mother had suggested that it was her Hobbit heritage, TigerLily was able to understand any Hobbit she would meet during her time in the wilds. While she had hunted for a meal some years ago, she'd come across a lone male Hobbit traveling to The Shire. He'd been singing to himself as he walked and she had stayed in her spot for the entire song, leaving only when he was finished. Her native language was strange indeed but she thought it was fairly pretty as well.

Perhaps she could find someone who would teach her the language of Men in that village but she would have to be careful. TigerLily wasn't naive; she knew that the people inside that town would more than likely try to hurt her if she suddenly tried to talk to one of them. She needed to have a reason for being in that village and casually ask someone for help. If she would be able to speak without barking or growling, that was. Her instincts were yelling at her, chastising her for even thinking about entering a human village but what else was she to do? She no longer had her own family and somehow, TigerLily knew that she belonged to – or at least around the area – either Hobbits or Men. It wasn't hard to imagine herself living among them but if that was to happen; she would need to learn their speech and ways of living. It wouldn't do well to make a terrible first impression and be thrown out of the town at first word.

Finally given a goal to strive towards, TigerLily crept away from the bushes and deeper into the forest. She needed to hunt; the slowly building excitement of her task would work perfectly as adrenaline to corner a large kill. For the next couple of days, she would have to find various animals and take their pelts. If there was a good enough reason to enter a town well known for its trading routes, having furs from many animals would be the best one. And possibly trading meat for what her mother had told her was 'money'. She had no idea what that _was_ but if it helped her along in finding her own home; she'd take it.

Once she was away from any humans that could happen upon her by chance, TigerLily darted away into the clutch of trees. Her nose had caught the scent of a wild bear. The thought of battling such a proud and dangerous creature had her grinning fiercely. A large bear pelt would surely gain quite a bit of 'money' in that town.

With nary a sound, she disappeared into the brush.

And only seconds later, a loud roar of an angry bear echoed throughout the forest – accompanied by a shiver inducing howl.

The next two days passed with her working on the fur pelts of the animals she had felled. Three bears, four stags, six jack rabbits, and strangely enough; a Warg skin.

After journeying to the farthest side of The Old Forest, TigerLily had come across the young beast. At first, she hadn't wanted to try attacking the Warg as it hadn't done anything to incur her wrath but the moment it caught sight and scent of her, it snarled angrily, and lashed out. TigerLily wasn't known to charge a dangerous creature – one that was bread to kill in an instant – without knowing if it was friendly or not. But the Warg hadn't given her enough time to speak in defense, so she was forced to fight. She had no clue how long the dance lasted but it ended with her axes stuck inside its neck, the beast bleeding out on the ground.

Her pelts were nearly finished and she was currently working on the bear skin that nearly took up the space of the clearing she'd appropriated. Soon it would be ready and she could trade them in the village in exchange for something else. Hopefully she could ask for lessons in the languages of the different races. Learning just the language of Men wouldn't be enough to get her through life. It was a feeling she had, along with the longing in her heart that called out to her One Mate. The sensation of heartache was new and strange to her but it wasn't an altogether terrible feeling. It burned in her chest and images of her love remained inside her dreams at night, often taunting her with what she could have but was unable to claim as her own. Yet it held no true pain.

She knew that one day – _one day_ – she would find the one meant for her.

TigerLily was done by the time the sun had reached its middle point in the sky and grinned at the pelts that lied on the ground before her. They were gorgeous in color and style, clean of any leaves, dirt or rocks that had been stuck inside the fur during the animals' lives and they practically glowed in the afternoon sunlight.

Satisfied with her work, she quickly gathered them and walked over to the stream that was nearby. She needed to bathe before heading into town tomorrow. Setting the pelts at the bank of the river, she began the task of undressing. Among the Pack, there hadn't been a need for clothing such as hers – clothed or not, she was still a member of her Den Mother's family – and for some years, she had remained naked. Only when she had seen some wee Hobbit children wearing clothes that she decided to gain some of her own. She was not ashamed of her body, far from it.

Her mother had always said she loved the color of TigerLily's blood red hair but she herself thought her body was the most appealing feature. It was both soft and hard; muscles lined her shoulders, arms, back, and legs. They were much like stone beneath a flesh covering but her middle had a plump softness that she had seen on plenty of the gentle folk. Scars of every kind littered her body, a pale pink on the canvas of ivory skin. In her eyes, they didn't make her ugly – if anything, they told the tale of her struggle in the wild and she found them beautiful. She was proud of each one, especially those that lined her face.

Crouching in the stream, TigerLily gazed into the water and inspected her reflection. Many times the few Pack members that hadn't cared for her often spoke of how ugly she was, how _human_. At the time, it hurt and she cried many nights while cuddled up against her mother's fur. Then she gained the scars during _The Maturing Months_ and respect for surviving such an ordeal was instantly given to her. She had been young and substantially weaker than she was currently but had fought hard with the soul of a true wolf. Quite a few hadn't come back and eve more had been cast out for arriving at the Den far too early. She and some others had been the only ones to last the entire four months.

She traced the four sensitive diagonal claw marks that ran across her right eye, remembering how they had scabbed over painfully. The long weeks it took for them to finally heal, though they never did fully, were harrowing and hunting had been very difficult. But it was nothing compared to the mark along her left eye. It was wider and longer than the others; it had come from a Warg during her months in the wild. She had been hunting small game, lying in wait until a few rabbits would come hopping along for her to grab them. In those days, her senses hadn't been the most keen and the Warg had crept up on her unannounced. She lived only by the skin on her back but the beast had taken her sight in that one eye, making it gleam a dull silver. TigerLily hadn't truly minded the fact she could not see out her left eye but hunting was more tasking with little to no depth perception. But having just the one eye, she practiced and soon became a keen shot, and an even better hunter.

TigerLily gently washed her hair, admiring the color as the afternoon sunlight shone down on her. The long tresses, having grown to finally reach her buttocks that year, changed color in the light as they glistened a golden red with the water. She rinsed her hair, laying down in the chilled stream and supressed a shiver as she sat back up to squeeze the remaining water out. Before washing the rest of herself, she quickly but efficiently braided her hair tightly and tied it off with a leather string. TigerLily pinned it to the top of her head and began to wash her body thoroughly. Once she was finished that, she rinsed off and stood up.

The wind had picked up a little and she would be dried soon. In the mean time, she grabbed her tunic and trousers to wash them of the dirt layering the fabric thickly. It took several passes through the water but they were eventually clean. She placed them on a low branch to dry and she laid down on the soft grass, watching the sunlight filter in through the leaves.

She'd never taken the time to simply lay down and enjoy the world around her. For years, everything she had done or would do was about survival. Never was there time to look at the stars or smell the wayward rose she passed by – staying on her guard was the best possible way to keep herself alive. And while the dangers of her abusers had gone, there was all the other detrimental creatures that were far more powerful than her that she had to worry about. Like fully grown Wargs or Orcs. TigerLily shuddered slightly at the thought of Orcs. They were disgusting and horrible things that slayed anything, and pillaged all they could find of value. How Orcs could see the value in sentimental items was beyond her.

She'd first seen Orcs during _The Maturing Months_. About two months in, when she had finally settled into a Den she liked. TigerLily had been exploring, scouting out the area and she'd come across them unexpectedly. They had been raiding a farm house that was near her temporary Den and were just finishing up, burning down the rest. It'd been too late for her to try and save the occupants that lived on the farm but she did manage to kill a few of the scavengers that stayed behind. Then, hiding the bodies, she investigated what was left of the house. To her surprise a room had been standing still and when she looked inside; it was filled with old weapons. Mainly axes that were used for chopping up wood or killing farm raised animals when it was their time to die. But they were useful in a battle against her enemies. That was how she acquired the multiple axes she carried around with her constantly.

A noise broke through her trance and she jerked up, sitting against the tree behind her. Her eyes roved over the river bank over to the other side, where the source of the interruption stood. It wasn't a person, thankfully – because while modesty wasn't something she could afford, she had it anyway – but a tall elk with towering antlers and beautiful russet fur. The buck stared at TigerLily intently, keeping eye contact until it deemed her friendly and ducked his head down to drink at the slow moving water. She watched for a few minutes, then stood up to get dressed. The clothes were dry and warm from the sun, making her sigh as she slipped on the shirt. The warmth of the sun was much different compared to that of a fire and it felt like she was cuddling her Den Mother once more. Tears came to TigerLily's eyes but she blinked them back, not because she was ashamed of her emotional attachment to her mother. She needed to be strong and prove to herself, as well as the people around her, that she could thrive without the help of her Pack.

After all; she'd spent four months alone and the first two without any sort of weapons until she happened upon the farm house.

TigerLily gathered her things, scooping up the pelts and slipping on the backpack underneath her wolf furs. She headed out, casting one last glance at the beautiful elk before she was swallowed by the thickening brush around her.

She walked through the forest leisurely, knowing she'd have time to trade before night would fall. Hopefully the people wouldn't respond to her appearance with fear or disgust. She wasn't worried about losing a fight but it would impede on her trading opportunity and most likely have her banned from the village permanently. That would ruin any chances of gaining the 'money' she needed, which she was still unsure about the reason for obtaining such a thing. Images of her starlight love filtered through her mind and the resolve to gain the strange item or items strengthened.

The village came into view and the sight of people meandering around the entrance had her pausing in hesitance. TigerLily wasn't sure about how they would receive her – either with fear or suspicion. Both of which were the right instincts to have around her, as she _was_ dangerous. But none of the towns folk needed to fear her; if they kept to themselves and didn't start any fights, she wouldn't either. The thought was a nice one, though it might not play out that way.

Taking a deep breath, she left the edge of the forest and strode up to the entrance.

It was closed during the night, which was something she'd noticed over the last couple of days but while the daylight was still around, it was open to new races and people. TigerLily glanced around at the tall Men, stout Hobbits and the occasional Dwarf moving about the walkways. As soon as she passed through the open gate, all eyes and attention turned towards her. The human wolf froze for about a millisecond before continuing on her way, doing her best to appear meek and unassuming. It was difficult, considering her height, wolf pelt and blazing red hair. She walked past the stares and over to a tall stall that held a multitude of furs. The vender had several of each beast but only deer, elk, wolf, and rabbit. None of them held any bear or Warg.

TigerLily grinned and knew that the trading would go as planned. She stepped up to the open face of the stall and waited patiently for the human to notice she was there. For a moment, she stood on the ridges of the walkway until the male jerked in his spot and stared at TigerLily in a daze. She tilted her head and resisted the urge to growl in slight annoyance. It wouldn't do well to scare off the man, would it?

Neither of them spoke; the vendor too shocked and TigerLily didn't have the best vocabulary.

The son of Man cleared his throat and spoke.

"Ah... h-how can I help you?" he stuttered, eyes darting over her face. She knew her looks weren't very pretty by human standards but that didn't matter to a wolf. The scars were a sign of strength and courage. She was proud of them.

"Trade." TigerLily stated curtly, inwardly grumbling at how angry she sounded. That wasn't a good start. The man jumped again, then coughed.

"T-trade? All I have are furs here– " His sentence was cut off when TigerLily took off her backpack and pulled out a beautiful, clean bear pelt.

He blinked rapidly, eyes shining like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Dark blue eyes flickered between her and the pelt, a look of consideration on his face. A few seconds passed as he deliberated what to do and the grin that wanted to slip over her face was smug when he nodded.

"How much?" TigerLily asked as softly as she could, not wanting the human to shut down his service simply because she was vocally aggravating him.

"F-for a bear pelt as gorgeous as that, I would say... fifty coin?" he suggested, a small frown on his face even as he spoke.

She wasn't sure about the price, considering how much everything else seemed. The nicest deer pelt had a sign in front of it that had strange scribbles – writing, she had to guess. There were three odd things on the plaque and the man had only spoken two.

"No, no, that doesn't seem right." he muttered, and TigerLily tilted her head again as he argued with himself. Strange, she'd only seen two Men do that. He huffed and looked at her, "How much coin would you give for this pelt?"

TigerLily blinked and stared at the bear fur hard. In her head, she began calculating the price of what she thought someone would pay. Things ran through her mind and she inwardly gasped as weird symbols passed in front of her eyes. Those... those would be numbers? Perhaps she _was_ going insane already. The man gave her an expectant wave of his hand and TigerLily blinked again.

"One hundred." she stated, wondering inwardly how much that was and why she knew that.

The vendor hummed over the price and nodded in acceptance, turning around to dig through something hidden from her view. He turned back and held out a small bag of dark brown leather to her. She rose a brow, taking it from him and handing over the beautiful pelt. He grinned in genuine appreciation and hung it reverently on the wall. TigerLily opened the bag curiously and saw round pieces of metal that were the same color as her Den Mother's eyes. That was 'money'? It was odd that something so small could buy such large things. She counted the pieces, grunting when there were the said total of coin and tightened the leather ribbon. TigerLily placed it inside her bag and was in the middle of pulling out the Warg pelt when the vendor spoke.

"Thank you for doing business with me. Have a nice– " He choked on his words when he caught sight of a familiar, frightening fur. TigerLily splayed out the Warg skin on the counter top, smoothing out the glistening pelt with a smug smirk. It was definitely worth the scars that were forming on her ribs.

"By the gods." he uttered in shock and awe, "How in Arda did you find such a thing?"

TigerLily shrugged, motioning to the axes on her belt, "Killed."

His eyes bugged out and his mouth gaped open, "You! _Y-you_ killed a _Warg_?!"

People roaming by stopped in their spots when he practically yelled for all to hear. She frowned heavily, not liking the looks in some eyes that focused on her and leaned forward to the vendor.

"Quiet." she growled, emerald eye flashing. He flinched and sunk low in his seat, "No yelling. Or no pelt." Her vocabulary was short at best and she couldn't even say full sentences yet but the eavesdropping on Men or Hobbits was helping quite a bit.

"A-apologies." he squeaked, shaking a bit, "H-how much are you wanting for t-that, then?"

TigerLily contemplated the question. If the bear had been a hundred, then the Warg would obviously be more expensive. Possibly two or three times. She had no clue and wondered how much coin the man had to offer.

"Three hundred?" she questioned softly, and the man instantly broke into stuttering. She heard about half his words before she made a growling noise to shut him up. His mouth snapped shut so fast his teeth clacked together. The sound echoed sharply in her ears but she made no indication it hurt.

"Three... three hundred coin?" he stumbled through his question, face paling at the amount of 'money' she was demanding. "I... I don't even know if I have that much left..."

She pondered that and decided to be merciful on his coin bag, "One-fifty."

His shaking stopped and he thought about that, nodding, "A-alright. You have a deal."

He reached into his coin purse again and poured the coins into her hand, her palm large enough to hold it all. In return, she handed over the beautiful Warg pelt and nearly smiled at his gleaming eyes.

Nearly.

She ignored his excitement over having the Warg skin and put the allocated coins in with their brethren. If she counted right, her brain was having troubles re-aligning itself with her usual mindset, there would be two hundred and fifty coins in her small leather bag. It would be enough to buy some supplies from other vendors, possibly. TigerLily wanted to find the things she heard the Hobbits call 'books'. The human wolf wanted the chance at being able to teach herself how to speak the language of Men properly and also how to read. The squiggles on the signs in the vendor's stall was unfamiliar to her and it posed a problem for further trips into the village. If she was uneducated and animal-like (well, _more_ animal than usual at least), then no one would be willing to teach her anything.

She sighed and turned away from the stall, gazing around at the still staring towns folk until she caught sight of a vendor that carried square items. Ignoring the eyes on her, she walked between the milling people deftly, managing to avoid bumbling drunkards and stopped in front of the stall. The woman sitting at the makeshift counter looked up from the book she was reading and widened her eyes as she saw TigerLily standing still as a statue in the sunlight. The pelted Hobbit simply stood there, brow with the scars running through it arching as the young woman took her time staring. But soon it became quite annoying and TigerLily's lip rose in a slight snarl that had the woman jumping back.

"H-hello... how can I help y-you?" she stuttered as well, causing TigerLily's eyes to roll.

" _What reason could I be here other than to purchase one of those 'books'?"_ she mumbled to herself, the growling and barking language of the Old Forest pack. The woman of Man frowned, most likely due to confusion but TigerLily didn't pay her any mind.

Taking a moment to peruse her limited vocabulary of the language of Man, she cleared her throat and pointed to one of the 'books', "Want buy. Learn. Speak."

The woman was still frowning but the expression cleared when she finally understood what TigerLily had meant, "Oh. You want to learn how to speak Westron?"

The she-wolf nodded, glad the human female knew what she wanted.

Glad she could actually help, the woman began gathering on learning the basics of Westron and different languages, "Alright. These are beginning guides of the Westron language. It will help you slowly teach yourself to speak like that of Man and will branch out to others. Is that alright?"

TigerLily processed what she had said, then nodded. It would be enough for her to learn the basics, probably. Den Mother had always said she was bright and fairly smart – she'd taken to the Wolf language quickly – so learning the language of Man would be easy as well. Hopefully.

The vendor took a moment to add up the amount of coin in her head, "That will be fifty gold, please."

TigerLily counted the books, noting there were only five and reached into the small leather bag to bring out fifty pieces. The items were exchanged and TigerLily pulled off her pack to put the books inside. They were slightly heavy but she had only recently dragged a fully grown bear to a clearing on her own. The 'books' wouldn't be much of a burden.

She tightened the leather strips holding the flap closed and shouldered it once again. Knowing she had nothing left to purchase, TigerLily nodded gratefully at the woman of Men and went on her way out of the village. Eyes followed her as she left but she ignored them easily enough. The gazes of Man and Hobbit didn't bother her too much, despite her initial wariness at entering the village. As long as none of them tried to approach her with dangerous intent, she would be on her way without a fuss.

As she walked back into the forest, TigerLily noticed night was falling quickly and she would need to gather wood for a fire soon. There were no clouds in the sky above and knew it would be chilly that night. Without the warmth of her pack members and Den Mother, TigerLily would freeze in the forest if she didn't make a fire. She set down her things and quickly gathered enough wood to keep a fire going well until the morning. Efficiently and without much fuss, TigerLily had a roaring campfire within minutes.

The Hobbit sat down next to it and fished out the tome she had bought. It was very thick and when she opened it, a single page was filled with countless words.

Oh boy.

TigerLily sighed and began reading, surmising it would be a long night.

True to form, the night had been long but not without results.

Her Westron was not nearly as terrible as she had believed but that wasn't to say it was good by any means. Most sentences she could read somewhat properly, though the definition was a bit distorted since some words could have multiple meanings. The moment she tried to say any of the strange new words aloud though; her voice was grating and diction was a bit too thick. Her tongue couldn't properly form the vowels, too deeply ingrained in the wolf language of her childhood.

She was getting better but also knew it was going to take several months (three at most) to be fully fluent in Westron. TigerLily wanted to learn other languages as well; such as Rohirrirc, Sindarin and possibly Khuzdul if she could find anything about it. From what she had heard from her Mother, it was a very personal language heavily guarded by the Dwarven culture. But perhaps TigerLily could acquire a tome or something similar a some point.

(finding one was unlikely but she'd look anyway)

She woke to songbirds chirping happily as the sun rose and rolled onto her back. Two toned eyes stared at the pale blue sky absently, wondering if this was how life would turn out for her. A Hobbit wanderer that appeared scarier than the predators in the Old Forest, frightening off people that she might have to socialize with later on. She certainly didn't mind it much but at some point, she'd need to find or create a more permanent home; a base of operations so to speak.

Decision made, she stood up swiftly and tossed dirt over the still smoldering fire. She could do without breakfast for the time being; she had things to do and only several months to do them in. Winter would soon be upon her, despite the fact it was late spring. What she intended to do was going to take time and effort. Months would pass by relatively fast while she worked and TigerLily aimed to be in a cozy, warm den by the time Winter showed its ugly mug.

Gathering her items, TigerLily left in search of better forestation.

It took several hours – and a few breaks – to find the best tree with the thickest trunk and softest soil. TigerLily climbed the tree easily, muscles bulging noticeably underneath the wolf pelt, and stopped at the top. She swayed precariously on the slimmest branch but was sure footed as she took in the scenery.

Gods, it was beautiful.

The Shire was a few miles to the left of her; all rolling hills and Spring green grass. With her keen eyesight, she could clearly see Hobbits strolling about their wee hamlet casually and smiled somewhat bitterly. She might have had that life, if Fate hadn't intervened but no matter what; TigerLily loved everything she was and everything the she-wolf her Den Mother made her to be. Sure, the easy living those Hobbit had sounded nice but TigerLily wouldn't give up the muscles or scars gained by toil and hardships throughout her life for anything.

Maybe now, though, she could calm down and live peacefully for the first time in a while. That would be nice. Ignoring the hollowed ache in her chest at not leaving immediately to find her One Mate (because what else could be more important than that?), TigerLily jumped down, tucking into a roll as she hit the ground. Once at her pack, she took out her Tomahawks and began chopping away at the wood.

Anyone nearby would be able to hear the sound of her taking large chunks out of the tree, layers upon layers of wood being stripped off the trunk quickly. But she had a feeling no one would come to investigate; most people knew the sound of axes chopping wood. That wasn't at all strange, though the sight of a redheaded Hobbit dressed in a wolf pelt doing her best to create a hole in a huge tree would be a bit odd. Not many Hobbits could say they had killed an (enormous) animal with their bare hands and worn their skin afterwords.

Hours passed, afternoon turning into evening and TigerLily found herself extremely hungry. Thankfully, she'd stashed a pouch full of berries and nuts that she'd collected a few days ago. And she could hunt down a rabbit to have with them.

Stomach growling, she darted off into a collection of bushes with her axes and disappeared between the leaves. Minutes later, a squealing sound that would have made anyone else flinch was heard before the noise cut off prematurely and TigerLily reappeared with a dead rabbit (about two and a half feet long) hanging in one hand. The kill had been ridiculously easy, not like the bear had been days ago but at the moment, she just wanted to eat.

Besides, killing needlessly just because she could wasn't really she had been taught. Her Den Mother always said, _'Death is a part of life; everyone and everything eventually dies. But none should leave before their time'_. TigerLily understood that murder was wrong, despite having the supposed right reasons and would never kill someone unless it was in self-defense. Every death by her hand was necessary; for survival or food.

After skinning and gutting the rabbit, TigerLily ate enough to sate her hunger then returned to chopping. She was about less than a quarter through it but that wasn't quite her intention. She wanted to create a home in the tree, then shovel out tunnels underneath in several directions so she could have multiple exits. Having a back-up plan was always a good idea; having more than five was better.

TigerLily had thought about meandering into The Shire to find a suitable home but she was pretty sure none of them would want her in town. Besides, creating her own was something she wanted; needed to do. Since being ejected (gently but firmly) from the only home she'd ever known, the urge to find a stable abode was strong. But the distinct need to make one was bigger.

Thankfully, the desire to procreate (with anyone besides her Mate) hadn't showed up – yet.

And TigerLily wasn't so sure she wanted it to at all.

Panting ever so slightly from the prolonged effort, she returned to her furs and lied on them, facing the sky. The stars were twinkling softly in front of a canvas of midnight blue. It was beautiful and a part of her would regret not being able to sleep under the stars once her home was done. But the comfort and warmth of a cozy Den was a prospect she couldn't ignore. It would take hard work and time but it was worth it in the end.

Sleep came to slowly take her and she went willingly.

End Chapter 3


End file.
